Self-Launched Best of Germany & Austria: Frankfurt to Vienna

Arrive in Frankfurt and check into a central budget hotel or hostel. Head into the Altstadt (Old Town) independently — the Römerplatz (Roman Square) and the timber-framed buildings surrounding it are free to wander. Grab a cold Apfelwein (apple cider) at a traditional Sachsenhausen pub to kick off your trip.

🚌Arrive by flight into Frankfurt Airport; S-Bahn into city centre (~£5)

🛏Generator Frankfurt or Motel One Frankfurt-Sachsenhausen (~£35–55/night)

• →Self-guided walk around Römerplatz and the Altstadt
• →Explore the financial district skyline from the riverbank (free)
• →Welcome drinks at a Sachsenhausen Apfelwein tavern (~£8)

Take a morning Rhine river cruise from Rüdesheim or St. Goar, drifting past vineyard-covered hills, medieval castles, and the legendary Lorelei Rock. Book via KD Rhine Line directly (~£20–30). Continue by regional train to Cologne and explore the Gothic cathedral and Altstadt squares on foot. Check into your Cologne hotel for the night.

🚌Regional train Frankfurt–Rüdesheim (~£15); train along Rhine to Cologne (~£20)

🛏Meininger Hotel Cologne City Center or a&o Köln Neumarkt (~£30–45/night)

• →Rhine River cruise from Rüdesheim or St. Goar — book via KD Rhine Line (~£25)
• →View the Lorelei Rock from the riverbank (free)
• →Self-guided walk to Cologne Cathedral (free exterior; tower climb ~£5)
• →Explore Cologne's Altstadt and historic squares (free)

Board a Deutsche Bahn ICE high-speed train from Cologne to Berlin (approx. 4.5 hrs). Book in advance for the best fares. On arrival, do a self-guided 'East meets West' walk taking in the Brandenburg Gate, Tiergarten, Unter den Linden boulevard, and the Reichstag building (free exterior; book free Reichstag dome visit in advance at bundestag.de).

🚌Deutsche Bahn ICE Cologne–Berlin (~£25–50 advance booking)

🛏Generator Berlin Mitte or Wombat's City Hostel Berlin (~£25–40/night)

• →ICE train journey Cologne to Berlin (~£25–50 booked in advance)
• →Self-guided walk: Brandenburg Gate, Tiergarten, Unter den Linden (free)
• →Reichstag glass dome visit — book free tickets at bundestag.de
• →Evening stroll along the East Side Gallery (free)

Spend a full day exploring Berlin's powerful historical sites. The Holocaust Memorial is free to walk through, Checkpoint Charlie is free to view (skip the expensive museum), and the Berlin Wall Memorial on Bernauer Strasse is free. For the optional Potsdam excursion, take the S-Bahn to Potsdam and explore Sanssouci Palace gardens (gardens free; palace entry ~£12) and cross the Glienicke Bridge on foot.

🚌Berlin public transport day ticket (~£8); S-Bahn to Potsdam if visiting (~£5 return)

🛏Generator Berlin Mitte or Wombat's City Hostel Berlin (~£25–40/night)

• →Holocaust Memorial — free to visit
• →Checkpoint Charlie viewing and Berlin Wall Memorial, Bernauer Strasse (free)
• →Optional: S-Bahn day trip to Potsdam — Sanssouci Palace gardens (free) + palace interior (~£12)
• →Optional: Glienicke 'Spy Bridge' walk (free)
• →Evening: Berlin street food at Markthalle Neun or Mauerpark (~£10–15)

Take an ICE train from Berlin to Würzburg, where you can admire the UNESCO-listed Prince-Bishops' Residence (exterior free; entry ~£8) and Marienberg Fortress from across the river. Continue by regional train to Rothenburg ob der Tauber. Check in and enjoy dinner at a local tavern in this perfectly preserved medieval town.

🚌ICE Berlin–Würzburg (~£30–50 advance); regional train Würzburg–Rothenburg (~£12)

🛏Kreuzerhof Hotel Garni or Pension Raidel Rothenburg (~£40–60/night)

• →View the Prince-Bishops' Residence in Würzburg (exterior free; interior ~£8)
• →View Marienberg Fortress from the Old Main Bridge (free)
• →Arrive in Rothenburg ob der Tauber — evening stroll through the medieval walls (free)
• →Dinner at a local Franconian restaurant (~£15–20)

Begin with a morning self-guided walk through Rothenburg's medieval centre — the town walls, Plönlein junction, and St. Jakob's Church are all unmissable. Then travel by train through the Bavarian countryside to Munich. Check in and get your bearings around Marienplatz in the evening.

🚌Train Rothenburg–Steinach–Ansbach–Munich (~£25–35)

🛏Wombat's City Hostel Munich or Jaeger's Munich (~£28–45/night)

• →Self-guided walk through Rothenburg's medieval old town: town walls, Plönlein, St. Jakob's Church (free)
• →Explore Rothenburg's Christmas Museum if interested (~£4)
• →Arrive Munich — evening walk around Marienplatz and Viktualienmarkt (free)
• →Optional: beer hall evening at Hofbräuhaus (~£15 with a beer and snack)

Take a morning S-Bahn trip to Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial — entry is free, audio guide ~£4, or book a guided tour via GetYourGuide (~£15–20). Return to Munich and explore Marienplatz, the Glockenspiel (watch the chimes at 11am/12pm/5pm — free), Frauenkirche (Cathedral of Our Lady), and St. Peter's Church (tower climb ~£3). Browse local bakeries and end the day in a traditional beer hall.

🚌S-Bahn day ticket Munich (~£8); S2 to Dachau included

🛏Wombat's City Hostel Munich or Jaeger's Munich (~£28–45/night)

• →Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial — free entry, audio guide ~£4, or GetYourGuide guided tour (~£18)
• →Marienplatz and Glockenspiel viewing (free)
• →Cathedral of Our Lady (Frauenkirche) and St. Peter's Church tower (£3)
• →Explore local bakeries in the Viktualienmarkt (~£5–8)
• →Traditional beer hall evening at Augustiner Keller or Hofbräuhaus (~£15)

Take an early train to Füssen and a local bus to Neuschwanstein Castle — book tickets in advance online (~£15 entry). Visit the fairytale castle, then travel to the charming painted-houses village of Oberammergau. Continue by bus and train over the Austrian border to Innsbruck. Have dinner at a local Gasthof in Oberammergau or Innsbruck (~£15–20).

🚌Train Munich–Füssen (~£20); bus to Neuschwanstein (~£4); bus/train Oberammergau–Innsbruck (~£15–25)

🛏Neopolis Hostel Innsbruck or Pension Stoi (~£30–50/night)

• →Neuschwanstein Castle — book timed entry tickets in advance at hohenschwangau.de (~£15)
• →Walk up to Marienbrücke bridge for panoramic castle views (free)
• →Explore Oberammergau village and its famous painted facades (free)
• →Arrive Innsbruck — evening stroll along the Inn riverside (free)

Explore Innsbruck's compact and beautiful Old Town on foot — the Golden Roof (Goldenes Dachl) is the centrepiece and free to admire from the street. The Hofburg Palace has entry at ~£9. Take a regional bus out to Wattens to visit the spectacular Swarovski Crystal Worlds (~£19 entry). Optional: book a Tyrolean folklore dinner show in the evening via GetYourGuide (~£35–45).

🚌IVB local buses in Innsbruck (~£5); regional bus to Wattens (~£6 return)

🛏Neopolis Hostel Innsbruck or Pension Stoi (~£30–50/night)

• →Self-guided Old Town walk: Golden Roof, Hofburg Palace exterior (free), Cathedral of St. James (free)
• →Hofburg Palace interior tour (~£9)
• →Bus to Swarovski Crystal Worlds in Wattens (~£19 entry + ~£6 bus return)
• →Optional: Tyrolean folklore dinner and show via GetYourGuide (~£40)

Travel by train from Innsbruck to Salzburg (~1.5 hrs, ~£15). Arrive and join a self-guided or independently booked walking tour of the UNESCO Old Town — Mozart's Birthplace on Getreidegasse (entry ~£11), Salzburg Cathedral (free), and the view of Hohensalzburg Fortress from the Domplatz (fortress entry ~£13, or enjoy the view for free). Dinner at a local Gasthof or included in hotel (~£15–20).

🚌Train Innsbruck–Salzburg (~£15)

🛏Arte Vida Hostel Salzburg or YOHO International Youth Hostel (~£25–40/night)

• →Train Innsbruck to Salzburg (~£15)
• →Mozart's Birthplace, Getreidegasse 9 — book via mozarteum.at (~£11)
• →Salzburg Cathedral and Domplatz (free)
• →Hohensalzburg Fortress — walk up (free) or funicular + entry (~£13)
• →Explore Getreidegasse shopping street (free)
• →Dinner at a local Salzburg Gasthof (~£18)

Take a scenic morning drive or train via the Wachau Valley. Stop at the magnificent Melk Abbey perched above the Danube (~£13 entry). Drive or train past Lake Mondsee and through the valley to Vienna. For the eco-farm coffee and cake experience, visit an authentic Austrian Kaffeehaus in Vienna instead — a traditional institution in its own right. Optional: book a Viennese classical music concert for the evening via GetYourGuide (~£35–60).

🚌Train or Flixbus Salzburg–Melk–Vienna (~£20–35 total)

🛏Wombat's City Hostel Vienna or Meininger Hotel Vienna Downtown Sissi (~£30–50/night)

• →Melk Abbey — book direct at stiftmelk.at (~£13)
• →Scenic Wachau Valley views from train window (free)
• →Drive/train past Lake Mondsee (free)
• →Arrive Vienna — traditional Kaffeehaus coffee and Kuchen experience at Café Central or Café Landtmann (~£8)
• →Optional: Viennese classical music concert via GetYourGuide (~£45)

Spend the day exploring Vienna's imperial showpieces independently. The Ringstrasse boulevard, State Opera House exterior, and St. Stephen's Cathedral (main nave free) are all walkable and largely free. Hofburg Palace has multiple museums inside — the Imperial Apartments are ~£14. Book a guided sightseeing tour via GetYourGuide for a deeper dive (~£15–20). Celebrate your final evening with a farewell dinner at a classic Viennese Beisl restaurant.

🚌Vienna public transport day pass (~£7)

🛏Wombat's City Hostel Vienna or Meininger Hotel Vienna Downtown Sissi (~£30–50/night)

• →Self-guided Ringstrasse walk: State Opera House, Kunsthistorisches Museum exterior, Parliament (free)
• →St. Stephen's Cathedral (Stephansdom) — main nave free; catacombs tour ~£6
• →Hofburg Palace Imperial Apartments (~£14) or book a GetYourGuide walking tour (~£18)
• →Naschmarkt food market browse (~£5–10 snacks)
• →Farewell dinner at a traditional Viennese Beisl restaurant (~£25–35)

Check out and make your way to Vienna International Airport (VIE) via the City Airport Train (CAT, ~£11) or S-Bahn (~£4). If your flight is in the afternoon, squeeze in a final Viennese breakfast pastry at a local bakery and a last walk through the Innere Stadt.

🚌S-Bahn or CAT to Vienna Airport (~£4–11)

• →Final Viennese breakfast at a local bakery (~£5–8)
• →Last stroll through the Innere Stadt or Belvedere Palace gardens (gardens free)
• →Transfer to Vienna Airport via CAT (~£11) or S-Bahn (~£4)